Last Minute Changes / News

Sunset this Saturday (26 January) will be at 4.39pm, with light for walking until 5.10pm.

It has not really been such a mild winter as people think - see Nature Blog

Scotland Trip 2019: Achnasheen/Glencarron 25/05-01/06 (more details below)

Scotland 2019.....Achnasheen

The 2019 annual SWC Scottish trip will be to Glencarron near the small village of Achnasheen in Wester Ross on the western edge of the Highlands about an hour from Inverness. It will run from Saturday 25 May to Saturday 1 June 2019.  For more information, please contact goepfertkarenATyahooDOTcom.

Weekends Away 2019 - Peak District/Heart of England/Brecon Beacons

IF the trains are running as they should (i.e. no bus replacements or long diversions), THEN I'd post Long Weekends as follows:

[May Bank Holiday Weekend] Peak District --- Friday 3rd May SWC 267 Sheffield Circular, Saturday 4th May SWC 322 Grindleford Circular via Chatsworth House, Sunday 5th May SWC 319 Hathersage Circular via Stanage Edge, Higger Tor and Padley Gorge, Monday 6th May SWC 303 Edale Circular via Kinder Scout and Mam Tor or SWC 315 Hathersage Circular via Bretton Clough and Eyam or any other of the 'old' walks. I would need co-operation from other walk posters to swap dates. Note: currently the Hope Valley Line is on strike every Saturday w/o a bus replacement service (the cause: the threat of driver-only-operation, as it was/is on Southern), so the schedule may be altered if that doesn't change.

[19-21/07 or 4 weeks later] Heart of England --- Assume Friday 19 July SWC 323a Evesham to Pershore (start from Sedgeberrow), Saturday 20 July SWC 324 The Malvern Hills (Great Malvern Circular), Sunday 21 July SWC 324a The Malvern Hills (Colwall to Great Malvern). All three days are tough (albeit with shortcut options), but Saturday and Sunday can also be made even tougher with an extension each (seeing that we start early after staying over...).

[13-16/09] The Brecon Beacons (Abergavenny or Crickhowell) --- Assume Friday 13 September to Monday 16 September: New Walks not yet finalised [Pandy to Llanvihangel Crucorney via Llanthony Priory and Cwmyoy, Abergavenny Circular via Y Fal/Sugarloaf], plus others starting from Llangynidr, Llangattock/Crickhowell or the 'old' Bwlch Circular. Why in September? A: Heather in Bloom on the Moors; B: walks won't be ready in time for May anyway...

The Price By Arthur Miller at Wyndham's Theatre

We are taking the advantage of 'Getting Into London Theatre 2019' special offer, with ticket prices £10, £20, £30 and £40.  To book this offer, please click here.  Alternatively, you can book with other theatre booking sites for regular offers.  Pre-theatre F&B at The Crypt, St Martin's in the Fields from 6:15pm.

The Price follows two brothers, Victor (Brendan Coyle - Mr Bates in Downton Abbey) and Walter Franz.  Victor is a New York cop approaching retirement; Walter, a successful surgeon. Having long since gone their separate ways, the two are reunited when they are called to sell their family furniture in the attic of a condemned New York brownstone.

But as they sift through the memories, revelation follows cutting relevation, and both brothers come to realise the true price they have paid over generations. Anchoring this psychological maelstrom, veteran appraiser Greogry Solomon (David Suchet - best known for portraying Agatha Christie' Hercule Poirot) secure the best possible price for the possessions – and in doing so overcome his own creeping demons.

A richly affecting play which mines Miller’s preoccupation with the perils of the American Dream, this new production is directed by Jonathan Church, and plays at Wyndham’s Theatre following a hugely acclaimed run at Theatre Royal Bath.

Wednesday Walk - Petersfield – Rowlands Castle

Length: 16.9 km (10.6 mi), Ascent/Descent: 327/355 m

Net Walking Time: ca. 4 hours, Toughness: 4 out of 10

Take the 10.00 Portsmouth Harbour train from Waterloo (Woking 10.25, G’ford 10.34), arrives Petersfield 11.00. From Clapham take the 09.52 stopping service to Portsmouth & Southsea and change at Woking (10.12/10.25).

Return trains: xx.46 (from 87 mins). Buy a Rowlands Castle return.

An undulating ramble through the little-known western reaches of the South Downs. Though there are a couple of steep climbs, the overall gradients are not too arduous, and your reward is some fine hilltop views in the second half of the walk.

Lunch: The Five Bells in Buriton (4.2 km/2.6 mi, food to 14.00) or The Red Lion  in Chalton (10.5 km/6.5 mi, food all day; sign up online for a 20% off food voucher!).

Tea: For details of the tea shop and the three pubs in Rowlands Castle check the walk directions pdf.

For walk directions, map, height profile and gpx/kml files click here. T=swc.18

Sunday Walk: Chipstead Circular

14 km (8.7 miles).
Difficulty 4/10
An undulating walk through a varied landscape of ancient woodland, open downs and farmland, just outside London.
Transport:
The simplest journey is the 9.54 Tattenham Corner train from London Bridge, arriving Chipstead 10:53.
Or ... get  the  Thameslink Redhill train (St Pancras 9:56, London Bridge 10:11) and change onto the above train at Purley (arr 10:34, dep 10:42).
You could also get the 9:51 East Grinstead train from Victoria (Clapham Jct 9:57) and change at East Croydon onto the Tattenham Corner train (platform 6, 10:27).
Return  from Chipstead to London Bridge at xx:33 and xx:03.
Lunch:  The Well House Inn (01737-830640) in Mugswell.
Tea:  The Ramblers Rest (01737-552661) on Outwood Lane. It is 1 km from Chipstead station so allow 15-20 minutes. 

Directions here. We are doing option (a). 

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A Sunday Saunter around Canvey Island

SWC Walk 258:  Benfleet Circular via Canvey Island T=SWC.258

Distance:  14.5 Miles or 23.2 km for those more metrically minded (shorter options available)

Difficulty:  3 out of 10

Train:  Take the 9:55 AM Shoeburyness train from London Fenchurch Street (10:05 West Ham), arriving at Benfleet at 10:39. Return trains from Benfleet run 4 times an hour – but the fastest are at XX:01 and 31 past the hour. Buy a day return to Benfleet.  

A walk like no other? Most certainly…This walk explores varied terrain in the Thames Estuary, including tidal creeks and countryside, industrial operations (past and present) and iconic musical and TV associations. There are frequent buses (and stops) along the route – so drop-off points are possible (check the walk instructions for details).  You can find more information about the walk and download the walk instructions here.

The recommended lunch stop is the Lobster Smack (01268 514 297) on Haven Road (8.2 miles/13.2 km into the walk). For post walk refreshies, the Hoy & Helmut just up the hill from Benfleet Station is suggested……however, loads of options abound...

Enjoy the walk!

Saturday Walk - The Thame Valley (Aylesbury Vale), Rolling Buckinghamshire Landscape, 4 Pubs, Variable Length

This walk passes four pubs during opening hours (plus a 5^th one a little off-route in Stone), while offering flexible lengths as the route crosses the A 418 several times, where the 200/280 Oxford to Aylesbury Bus runs frequently to get you back to Haddenham or on to Aylesbury.

Length:  from 10.3 km (6.4 mi) to 23.3 km (14.5 mi)

Ascent/Descent: up to 180 m; Net Walking Time: from ca. 2 hours to 5 hours

Toughness:  from 1/10 to 4/10 

This pleasant walk through the scenic heart of Aylesbury Vale passes through the tranquil Thame Valley in the morning, linking up several unspoilt and picturesque hamlets with gentle views to the surrounding hills, while passing three good village pubs en-route. After lunch several grassy fields and a substantial, newly planted community woodland are passed through. Later the stately mansion of Hartwell House is rounded, before the route heads into Aylesbury for tea.

The regular Oxford to Aylesbury bus service is never far away from the route, making it easy to choose a shorter option.

Take the 10.00 Oxford train from Marylebone (High Wycombe 10.25), arrives Haddenham & Thame Parkway at 10.42.

Return trains from Haddenham: xx.14 and xx.38 hours (55 mins and 43 minutes journey time resp.).

Return trains from Aylesbury: xx.18 and xx.48 hours (61 mins journey time) via Amersham, your ticket is not technically valid, but there are usually no ticket inspectors on that line; and xx.34 via Princes Risborough (87 mins journey time, your ticket is valid from Princes Risborough onwards).

Buy a Haddenham & Thame return, this covers the return journey to London from Princes Risborough. You then need to buy an Aylesbury to Risborough single at Aylesbury station and travel via Princes Risborough, or argue with the ticket inspector…

Befuddled by the ticket arrangements? (As Anonymous says:) Take the 09.43 Warwick Parkway train (stops Gerrards Cross, Beaconsfield, High Wycombe, Princes Risborough), arriving Haddenham & Thame Parkway at 10.36. Buy an Aylesbury (Any Route) Return, you then have to buy a one-stop Princes Risborough – Haddenham single on the train (if you can find a ticket inspector).

Lunch: The Bottle and Glass in Gibraltar  (10.3 km/6.4 mi, food to 15.00) or the The Seven Stars in Dinton  (10.9 km/6.8 mi). There’s also The Crown at Cuddington early on (7.1 km/4.4 mi, from 11.30).  

Tea: The Bugle Horn  (open all day) and Hartwell House Spa Cafe and Bar (open to 19.00), both in Hartwell (3.5 km from the end); and numerous options in Aylesbury (check page 2 of the pdf).

For walk directions, map, height profile, photos and gpx/kml files click here.

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